Archive for the ‘chocolate’

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner (if you’re into that sort of thing), chocolate, while certainly always the culinary rage, takes on a special significance right now for a variety of reasons. So, here is recipe you can make for your beloved (or even just well-liked) that’s easy & quick. Plus, you won’t look like one of those crazed and desperate people rushing around the grocery store picking over the remains at 7pm on The Day.

And, hey, let’s admit it. That resolution to lose weight didn’t last past the 3rd week of January. If it has, congratulations. Keep it up. But let yourself indulge on this one day.

Fudge is an American invention. According to some food historians, the invention of fudge can be dated to February 14, 1886; however, the exact origin and inventor are disputed. Most stories claim that the first batch of fudge resulted from an accident with a bungled (“fudged”) batch of caramels, when the sugar was allowed to recrystallize; hence the name from the interjection, “Oh fudge!”

One of the first documentations of fudge is in a letter written by Emelyn Battersby Hartridge, then a student at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. She wrote that a schoolmate’s cousin made fudge in Baltimore in 1886 and sold it for 40 cents a pound. She obtained the recipe, and in 1888, made 30 pounds of it for the Vassar Senior Auction. Word of the confection spread to other women’s colleges. Wellesley and Smith developed their own versions of this “original” fudge recipe.

The original fudge recipes were famously delicate: Precise measurements, cooking time and constant stirring were crucial for perfect fudge. The recipe looks simple—heat a mixture of sugar, butter and milk or cream to the soft-ball stage (224°-238°F), then beat it to a smooth, creamy consistency while it cools.

The “Original” Fudge Recipe

From Emelyn B. Hartridge of Vassar College:

2 cups granulated white sugar

1 cup cream

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

Combine sugar and cream and cook over moderate heat. When this becomes very hot, add the chocolate. Stir constantly. Cook until mixture reaches soft-ball stage (234°-238°F). Remove from heat and add butter. Cool slightly, then mix until fudge starts to thicken. Transfer to a buttered tin. Cut into diamond-shaped pieces before fudge hardens completely.

Because of the difficulty and time needed for the “old school” fudge recipes, “foolproof” recipes were developed for the home cook that included corn syrup, which prevents crystallization and produces smooth fudge. Later recipes substituted sweetened condensed milk, marshmallow creme, or other ingredients for the milk/cream that were better guarantees of a perfect fudge texture.

I have gone with a simpler, or “new school” recipe here. I know that some of the more traditional candy makers view these types of recipes with no small amount of skepticism, but it is quick & easy and a perfect gateway to the wider world of candy making.

A few notes:

1. In this post, I used semisweet chocolate chips. Chips save me the hassle of chopping the chocolate and they’re a bit easier to work with. If you do decide to use regular chopped chocolate, be aware that it will behave differently than the chips. Because of the way chips are made – with milk and emulsifiers – the fudge won’t harden (it will become firm, just not as firm as if you use chopped chocolate) the same way or as quickly once it’s been taken off the heat after melting as it will with regular chopped chocolate from a bar. So, there is less room for error if you use chopped semisweet chocolate. Chips are a little more forgiving; which is good if you’ve never made candy before.

2. You can use milk chocolate chips in this recipe if you like but the fudge will take a little longer to set up. If you want to use bittersweet, do a mix of semi- and bittersweet. Bittersweet chocolate will be too dry to use on its own and won’t give you the chewy texture you’re looking for. (Despite the fact chocolate does form a liquid when melted, it is considered a dry ingredient. The higher the cocoa solid content, the drier the chocolate.)

3. My own personal preference, nut-wise, is for roasted unsalted almonds. You can use whatever you like or even a variety. If you like to use salted nuts, go for it.

4. Sweetened condensed milk: do not use 2%. With the chocolate, butter, and marshmallows, I don’t know why you would anyway.

5. Marshmallows. If you are following either halal (Muslim), kosher (Judaism), or vegetarian diets, there is a marshmallow for you. Otherwise, good old Kraft marshmallows are fine.

6. Be sure to stir constantly when melting the chocolate. You don’t want it to sit too long without stirring because it will burn very easily. Also, make sure the heat stays at medium. Low and slow is the key here. You just want to get everything hot enough for the chocolate to melt. (If you are nervous about melting the chocolate over direct heat, put the chocolate, milk, butter, and salt into a medium bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water to make a double boiler. Stir frequently just until the chocolate melts. It will take longer, but the chocolate won’t burn. Be sure to wipe off the bottom of the bowl as you take it off the boiler so you don’t get any water in the fudge.)

7. When you take the fudge out of the pan, there may be a thin film of spray on the bottom and on the sides of the edge pieces. I get rid of that by placing the fudge on paper towels for a few minutes. Works like a charm.

Stir constantly just until the chocolate is melted, the ingredients are well combined, and the mixture is smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the extract.

You just want to heat the ingredients until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. You don’t want the fudge to become too hot or take a chance on the chocolate scorching.

3. Pour the fudge into the bowl with the almonds and mix together thoroughly.

Fudge and almonds. I like to mix in the almonds at this stage because they will be more evenly distributed and they help to cool the fudge.

Continue stirring almost constantly for about 5 minutes. This will help dissipate the heat and keep the fudge from setting up. When the bottom of the bowl feels comfortably warm (essentially body temperature), it has cooled sufficiently.

4. Pour the fudge-almond mixture into the marshmallows and mix thoroughly.

At this point, the fudge should be cooled enough for the marshmallows to be stirred in but not melted or melting.

Ready for the pan.

5. Pour the fudge into the prepared baking pan, spread evenly, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 – 1 1/2 hours. When the fudge is set, cut into 2″ pieces. It will keep in an airtight container for about a week.

The mole I’m making this time is probably the best known as well as the original: Mole Poblano.

Legend has it that in the 16th Century this dish was invented in desperation by the nuns of the Convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla de los Angeles. They were an impoverished order expecting a visit from the Archbishop and they really had nothing to feed him. So, they basically threw together what they had: day-old bread, chocolate, some chiles, nuts, an old turkey. The results were, shall we say, heavenly. Apparently, the Archbishop loved the meal. And a masterpiece was created.

*******************

For the last mole I made for you, Mole Rojo, I used exclusively chili powders. This was to demonstrate that they could be used as a substitution for the dried chiles and makes the preparation much easier. In this recipe, I do things the more traditional way, with dried chiles. It takes longer, most definitely. But, for mole purists, I hope I have redeemed myself with you.

A few notes:

1. When using the dried chiles, make sure they are fresh-looking and pliable (a contradiction, I know). If the chiles break apart when you try to bend them, it simply means they are too old and dried out (and possibly infested). You want the chilies to have retained their essential oils. That’s what gives them their flavor and aroma.

2. The best place to find the chiles (and all the ingredients for this recipe) is at a market that caters to the Hispanic community. (Here in Austin, my favorite is El Rancho Supermercado.) If they don’t have it, it’s pretty unlikely anyone else will. Besides, it’s a great place to go to just explore and try new things. Plus I get to practice my limited Spanish.

3. I used a 4-lb bone-in turkey breast for this example. You can use leftover turkey and skip step 1. However, be sure to use chicken or turkey broth instead of water. Otherwise, you won’t get the flavor you’re looking for.

4. This recipe makes a lot. You can serve up to 8. But, it does freeze beautifully.

The Ingredients

Sesame and Anise Seeds

Clockwise: Brown Sugar, ground Cloves, ground Cinnamon

Clockwise: raw Almonds, Pecans, Raisins

Masa

Onion, Garlic, Romas, Tomatillos

Mexican Chocolate disks

Chiles, left to right: Chipotle, Pasilla, Ancho, Mulato

Chipotle – smoked and dried Jalapeño

Pasilla Chilie – dried Chilaca pepper.

Ancho Chile – dried Poblano Pepper

Mulato Chile – dried Mulato Pepper

4 c. chicken broth, turkey broth, or water

4 lbs. turkey

8 ea. mulato chiles

-or-

4 tbsp. mulato chile powder

6 ea. ancho chiles

-or-

3 tbsp. ancho chile powder

4 ea. pasilla chiles

-or-

2 tbsp. chile powder

1 ea. chipotle chile

-or-

1 tsp. chipotle chile powder

1 lg. white onion, peeled and cut into 1/4’s, stem left on

6 cloves garlic, peeled, stem removed

3 ea. tomatillos, papery skin removed and rinsed

4 ea. Roma tomatoes, rinsed

2 tbsp. sesame seeds

1/2 tsp. anise seeds

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1/2 c. raw almonds

1/2 c. pecans

1/2 c. raisins

1/4 c. masa

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 ground cinnamon (canela)

2 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tbsp. tomato paste

2 disks Mexican chocolate, chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

Additional sesame seeds for garnish

1. Place the turkey and stock or water to a large stockpot and heat over medium-high heat. Once the stock has come to a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer until the meat is cooked, about 30 – 45 minutes. Once the turkey is done, take it from the stock and set aside until cool enough to shred. Turn the heat off under the stock until all the other ingredients are ready.

2. If you’re using whole chiles, remove the stems and cut the chiles open to remove the seeds.

Cutting the stem off the chile. Using gloves is highly recommended. This not only keeps your hands from getting stained and sticky, it keeps the chile oils off your hands. A pair of sharp kitchen shears helps, too.

Cutting open the chile.

The insides. You want to get rid of as many seeds and veins as possible. They’ll make the final mole bitter if you don’t.

Removing the seeds and veins. If you have a good dried chile, there will be some oil residue inside. This is a good thing. And, again, the gloves are a very good idea.

Dry roast the chiles in a heavy skillet over high heat for a few seconds on each side to soften slightly.

Toasting the chiles. This not only helps to soften them up a bit, but it also starts to cook the oils and enhance the flavor.

Place the chiles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes. (It’s OK if they sit a little longer.)

Soaking the chiles. I like to put a small plate on top to keep them under water.

Drain the chiles and discard the water.

The chiles after soaking for 30 minutes. They’ll increase in size and become lighter in color. (The water hasn’t been drained off in this photo. Be sure to drain it.)

Puree the chiles in a food processor or blender (you’ll need to do this in batches) until you make a paste. Set aside.

The pureed chiles.

3. If you’re using the chile powders, dry roast them over high heat in a heavy skillet until they just begin to release a scent. Stir constantly to be sure the powders don’t burn. Pour the powder onto a plate or another flat surface and spread it out to help it cool. (Basically, skip step 2 all together.)

4. While the chiles are soaking, wipe out the pan. Dry roast the onion quarters, garlic, tomatillos, and tomato. You want black spots, but you don’t want to over-brown the vegetables.

Browning the fresh stuff: Starting with garlic. You just want a few brown spots; don’t over-brown.

Browning the onion quarters. Once these are cool enough to handle, cut off the stem ends.

The tomatillos. Be sure they don’t burst in the skillet.

The Romas. Be sure they don’t burst in the skillet. When they are cool enough to handle, peel off as much of the skin as you can, cut off the stem end, cut into quarters, and remove the seeds.

Once you’ve roasted the tomatoes, peel and seed them. Cut the stems off the onion quarters. Set the vegetables aside.

5. Take the skillet off the heat and let cool slightly. Add the sesame seeds and anise seeds. Quickly roast until the seeds are toasted. Pour onto a small plate and set aside.

Toasting the sesame and anise seeds. You want them to have an aroma and begin to “jump” in the skillet. Immediately take them off the heat and pour onto a flat surface and spread out to cool.

6. Add the oil to the skillet. Lightly fry the almonds and pecans. Drain on paper towels and let cool slightly.

Frying the pecans and almonds. You just want to do this until they begin to take on some extra color.

7. Lightly fry the raisins until they just begin to puff. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.

Frying the raisins.

8. Turn off the heat under the oil. Add the masa and make a roux (don’t let it get too dark). Pour the roux into a small bowl and set aside.

Making a roux with now a rather flavorful oil.

9. Turn the heat back on under the stockpot with the broth to medium-high. Add in the chile paste or powder, onion, garlic, tomatillos, tomatoes, ground nut & spice mix, raisins, tomato paste, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for 45 minutes, stirring frequently.

Almost everything in the pot with the chicken/turkey stock.

10. Meanwhile, shred the turkey. Discard any bone, skin, and gristle. Set the turkey aside.

Shredded turkey. In this recipe, I used turkey breast; however, use whatever you prefer.

11. After 45 minutes, remove the stockpot from the heat and let cool slightly.

After 45 minutes. The vegetables have softened and the ground nuts have helped to thicken the sauce.

Puree the mole with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor. If you want a super-smooth mole, after you’ve pureed it, you can pass it through a strainer.

Thoroughly puree the mole. Make sure the blender isn’t running when you pull it out of the hot liquid.Bless whoever invented the immersion blender.

12. Put the mole back on the heat and add the masa roux and the chocolate.

Adding the masa roux and chocolate. They just melt right on in.

Cook for 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add the turkey and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stirring in the turkey.Almost there.

13. Serve the mole with rice and corn tortillas. Sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish.

Meringues are that almost etherial confection that can either come out beautifully or end in frustration for many a baker.

On top of a pie, as a base or crust, or in bite-sized form, in actuality, they’re easy and fun to make. They can make a dessert look elegant or festive. And mostly, especially for those of us with a sweet tooth, delicious.

There are three basic types of meringue: Italian, French, and Swiss.

The Italian Meringue consists of boiling syrup poured slowly into beaten egg whites. This produces a meringue that is more stable and can be used in a variety of desserts without a danger of it breaking down or collapsing. Because boiling sugar is added to the whites, no further cooking is needed. (If you want to see an example of Italian Meringue, check out my blog post from May 31,2012: “Key Lime Pie”.)

French Meringue is the most commonly used meringue in home kitchens. It consists of either granulated or powdered sugar slowly added to egg whites and beaten until stiff.

Swiss Meringue consists of the egg whites beaten over a bain-marie or a very slow simmering double boiler to warm the egg whites and sugar together. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the egg whites are warm. The whites are then removed from the heat and beaten until they have a dense, marshmallow-like consistency.

The history of the meringue is a bit of a murky one. The first known reference to meringues is found in Francois Massialot’s 1692 cookbook, Nouvelle instruction pour les confitures, les liqueurs et les fruits (Instruction for new jams and fruit liqueurs). The first reference to meringues in England is from 1706 in a translation of Massialot’s book.

Two earlier 17th Century English recipe books give instructions for confections that are recognizable as meringue, though called “white biskit bread” in the book of recipes started in 1604 by Lady Elinor Fettiplace of Appleton in Berkshire (now in Oxfordshire), and called “pets” in the manuscript of collected recipes written by Lady Rachel Fane of Kent.

Slowly baked meringues are still referred to as “pets” (meaning farts in French) in the Loire region of France due to their light and fluffy texture.

How lovely.

(some information from www.wikipedia.org)

There are several important things to remember when making a meringue:

1. Make sure your eggs are separated properly. The egg whites must be free of yolk. Even a small amount of fat in egg whites will prevent them from reaching their full volume and may cause them to collapse.

2. Make sure your egg whites are at room temperature. This allows the proteins of the whites to relax and loosen. The volume of the egg whites is not only contingent on no fat, but also the breakdown of hydrogen bonds in the protein. A warmer temperature helps to create this.

3. Make sure the utensils you use are clean, free of any fat (including any oily residue), and room temperature. Avoid using plastic bowls or utensils; they tend to hold on to oils.

4. Do not overbeat the whites. You’ll know you’ve done this if the whites begin to separate, look dry, and you see liquid (albumen) pooling at the bottom of the bowl. There are supposedly methods for saving the whites, but I’ve never found one that works. Just start over.

5. When adding the sugar (or any dry ingredients), it has to be done slowly and gradually. If you add all of the sugar at once, it won’t dissolve properly and the egg whites and will attract moisture. Moisture is the ruination of a meringue.

A note about the cocoa powder: M. Herme uses exclusively the Valrhona Dutch-processed cocoa powder. He calls for it in this recipe. I did use the Dutch-processed cocoa (what I have at home is Hershey’s) and I like it; in fact, I prefer it. Dutch-processed cocoa is readily available, but, if you have natural cocoa powder, you should be fine.

Natural Cocoa Powder is made with all of the cocoa butter is removed from the cocoa liquor leaving a dry cake that is then ground down to a fine powder that’s bitter and acidic. Its natural acidity is used to help activate baking soda in recipes. It’s only used in cooked or baked desserts.

Dutch Process Cocoa Powder is natural powder that’s been treated with a small amount of alkaline to reduce the cocoa’s natural acidity. The process makes the powder darker and gives it a more mellow flavor.

Now. On to the recipe.

*******************************

Lotsa chocolate. My most recent class at Central Market.

This recipe is based on a recipe from the great book Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme by Dorie Greenspan (Little, Brown; 2001). While it is a wonderful recipe, I did make a couple of changes.

1. M. Herme calls for Valrhona cocoa powder. While I like Valrhona and use it occasionally, it is expensive ($13.99/lb. at Central Market). Plus, not it’s not available to everyone. You can use any type of Dutch-process cocoa you like in this recipe.

2. He does have a step in his original recipe saying to dust the raw meringues with powdered sugar and cocoa before putting in the oven to dry. I did that. I found it to be an unnecessary step. When I took my meringues out of the oven, I had to take a soft pastry brush and brush off the excess sugar and cocoa. So, I left it out of the recipe I’m showing you.

3. His original recipe doesn’t include cream of tartar. I added it because it helps to add to the stability of the whites and helps to produce a stiffer peak.

The Ingredients

1 c. powdered sugar

3 tbsp. Dutch-process cocoa

4 egg whites, room temperature

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

7 tbsp. granulated sugar, separated into 2 ea. 3-1/2 tbsp.

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 250F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside. Fit a large pastry bag with a plain 1/2″ – 3/4″ tip – you want a large tip so you can pipe generous meringue kisses. (If you don’t have a large enough tip or a pastry bag, skip the pastry bag and use a zipper-lock plastic bag. Seal the bag and then snip off a corner so that it creates a “tip” that’s just the right size.)

2. Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa and set aside.

Sifting the sugar and the cocoa.

3. In a clean, dry mixer bowl with a clean, dry whisk attachment in place, whip the egg whites on high speed until they form soft peaks.

Egg whites and cream of tartar ready for whipping.

Soft peak stage.

Still whipping on high, gradually add the first half of the granulated sugar.and continue to beat until the whites are glossy and form stiff peaks.

Adding the sugar.

The egg whites at stiff peak stage after adding the first half of the sugar.

Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and gradually beat in the remaining half of the granulated sugar.

Adding the remaining sugar.

The finished egg whites.

4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, working with a large rubber spatula, gradually fold in the sifted powdered sugar and cocoa mixture.

I like to sift the dry ingredients on top of the egg whites before I begin to fold. Makes for a more even mixture.

Folding the powdered sugar/cocoa mix into the egg whites.

Work quickly but delicately, and don’t be discouraged when your beautifully airy meringue deflates a little; it’s inevitable.

Ready for the piping bag.

5. Working with half the batter at a time, gently spoon half the batter into the pastry bag.

A trick to more neatly fill a pastry bag: Take a large glass, either twist or bend the tip of the bag, and place the bag into and over the glass as shown. Take the spatula and fill the pastry bag about 1/2 – 2/3 full.

The filled pastry bag.

Pipe out rounds roughly 1-1/2″ – 2″ in diameter, finishing with a peak in the center onto the baking sheets (they should look like giant chocolate kisses).

Twist or fold over the top of the pastry bag and gently work the batter down to the tip. Be sure to work from the top of the bag down. Don’t squeeze in the center.

Use your dominant hand to squeeze from the top, continuing to twist or fold the bag as you go. Your non-dominant hand is for guiding and lifting the bag only.

Allow about 1 inch between each puff. The larger the meringues, the fewer you’ll have. (M. Herme’s recipe says make the meringues 2-1/2″ for a yield of 20. Mine are generally smaller, so I’ve had as many as 40.)

6. Place the baking sheets in the oven and insert a handle of a wooden spoon into the door to keep it slightly ajar (this helps cut down on moisture in the oven). Bake the puffs for 1 hour, rotate the sheet pans, and bake for another hour.

A sheet pan ready for the oven.

A wooden spatula in the oven door for venting.

7. After the second hour, turn off the oven, take the wooden spoon out of the door to close the oven, and continue to dry the meringues for another 2 hours, or as long as overnight. Take the meringues out of the oven and transfer, parchment and all, to racks to cool to room to room temperature. Run a thin metal spatula under the puffs to release them from the paper.

Now that the weather is finally beginning to cool off and the Central Texas version of Autumn is beginning to take hold, it’s time to pull out the comfort foods in earnest.

As I said in my post on Mole Verde (Oct. 9), Mole is one of my favorite comfort foods as well as one of the things I love most about living in Texas.

**********

My version of this recipe may have mole purists askance. Well, perhaps not so much the dish itself, but the fact that I have made this dish with ground rather than whole chiles. I give the equivalent whole chile amounts as well.

I feel slightly guilty about this because I’m such a purist about Arabic food. But, I do honestly feel if you can at least keep the spirit and flavor of the original dish, experimentation isn’t a bad thing.

Admittedly, using the ground chiles does save time in the preparation. And, to me anyway, makes no difference in the flavor of the dish.

You should be able to find the whole dried chiles in any grocery with a good produce department. If you live in an area with a large Hispanic population, there will likely be a grocery/supermercado and, most likely, there will be dried chiles available. If not, they’re available online.

Try it both ways, and see which way you prefer.

Now, to the recipe:

**************

Mole Rojo (Red Mole) is a slightly sweet, moderately spicy mole. You can certainly adjust the heat as you like.

The Ingredients

4 c. chicken stock, pork stock, or water

3 lbs. pork shoulder or butt, cut into 2″ pieces (if you get a bone with the shoulder, keep it)

1. Heat the meat and stock or water in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once the stock comes to a boil, turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer until the meat is tender: for chicken, about 60 – 75 minutes; pork, about 1-1/2 – 2 hours.

Cooking the pork. If you get a bone with a shoulder cut, use it in the broth. If you’re using chicken, make sure you use the bones & skin. You’ll add more flavor to the stock.

Once the meat is done, take it from the stock and set it aside until cool enough to shred.

Meanwhile, while the meat is cooking, prep the other ingredients.

2. If you’re using whole dried chiles, remove the stems and cut the chiles open (a pair of kitchen scissors will work best) to remove the seeds. (The dried chiles should still be somewhat pliable. If they’re dry and crumble easily, then they’re too old. Also, it is a good idea to wear kichen gloves to keep your hands from becoming sticky, stained, and keep the capsaicin off your fingers.) Open the chiles flat and dry roast them in a heavy skillet over high heat for a few seconds on each side (you’ll need to do this in batches) until they become soft and begin to blister. Take the chiles off the heat and put into a bowl. When you are done heating all the chiles, cover them with boiling water and weigh down with a small plate. Let the chiles sit for 30 minutes. (If they sit for a little longer, it’s all right.)

After 30 minutes, drain the chiles and discard the soaking water (it will be bitter). Puree the chiles in a food processor or blender (you’ll need to do this in batches) until you make a paste. Set aside.

3. If you’re using chile powder (like I am in this example), mix them together and dry roast the powder in a heavy skillet until it just begins to release a scent. Stir constantly to be sure the powder doesn’t burn.

Toasting the chile powders.

Pour the toasted powder onto a plate and allow to cool.

Cooling the toasted chile powder

4. Wipe out the skillet. Dry roast the onion quarters, garlic, tomatillos, and tomatoes. You want black spots, but doen’t over-brown or burn the vegetables.

Browning the onions.

Browning the tomatoes

Browning the tomatillos and garlic cloves

Once you’ve roasted the tomatoes, remove the seeds and stem ends. Cut the stem end off the onion. Set the vegetables aside.

5. Take the skillet off the heat and let it cool slightly. Add the oil and let it heat. Lightly fry the almonds, about 2 – 3 minutes.

Frying the almonds.

Remove the almonds from the oil and drain on paper towels. Let cool.

Now, lightly fry the raisins in the oil until they just begin to puff, about 30 – 60 seconds. Remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels.

Frying the raisins.

Turn off the heat under the oil. Add the masa, dissolve into the oil, and make a roux. Pour the roux into a small bowl. Set aside.

6. In a small food processor, blender, or, with a lot a patience by hand, grind or chop the almonds until they make a fine meal. Set aside.

Toasted chile powder, fried raisins, ground almonds

7. Turn the heat back on under the stockpot and heat the stock over medium-high heat. Mix in the chile paste or powder, onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomatillos, ground almonds, raisins, tomato paste, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper.

Mixing the ingredients into the stock.

Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for 45 minutes. Stir frequently.

If the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the stockpot, take it off the heat, pour it into a clean stockpot, and place it back on the heat. Don’t scrape the bottom of the stockpot. You don’t want any of the burnt mole sauce.

The sauce after 45 minutes. It will thicken as it cooks.

8. While the sauce is cooking, shred or chop the meat. If you’re using pork, discard any bone, gristle, and excess fat. If you’re using chicken, discard any bone, gristle, excess fat, and skin. Set aside.

Chopped pork ready for the sauce.

9. Remove the stockpot from the heat and let cool slightly. Puree the mole sauce with an immersion (stick) blender, or in a blender or food processor. (You’ll need to puree the sauce in batches if you use a blender or processor.)

Pureeing the mole sauce.

I like some texture in my mole sauce; but, if you prefer a smoother texture, strain the sauce through a fine strainer.

10. Put the mole sauce back on the heat and add the roux and chopped chocolate.

Adding the roux and chocolate.

Cook for 5 minutes, then taste for seasoning. Add the meat back to the sauce. Cook for another 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Mole sauce after adding the roux and chocolate.

11. Serve the mole with rice and corn tortillas.

¡Cena delicioso!

The finished mole.

And, as with most sauces, stews, chilis, and soups, this is better the next day.

I also like to take the leftover mole and heat it up with some eggs poached on top. Great breakfast.